


caught a tiger by the toe

by cori_the_bloody



Category: Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Genre: Alternate Universe, F/F, Fluff and Humor, Meet-Cute, Zoo Keepers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-21
Updated: 2016-01-21
Packaged: 2018-05-15 08:41:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,478
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5779105
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cori_the_bloody/pseuds/cori_the_bloody
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A new keeper's been hired at the cheetah exhibit, and--man, oh man--is Faith interested.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> **Disclaimer:** I do not own these characters or this world, I simply enjoy playing with them.  
>  **Author’s Note:** Over on tumblr, the lovely [drusillathekiller](http://drusillathekiller.tumblr.com/) prompted me to write an obscure AU minific for Fuffy. Well, the 'mini' part went out the window pretty quickly, and this is the result. 
> 
> This story is unbeta'd, so please excuse any spelling errors.

Faith loves working the night shift. There’s something daring and adventurous about being in the zoo after dark, but there’s also a certain peace. No snotty-nosed kids or obnoxious teenagers running around and no one there to ask her stupid, unimaginative questions she’s answered a thousand times.

In fact, she’s probably scheduled for nights so often cause she’s kind of bratty to the park guests, but that suits her just fine.

“How’s our girl?” Faith asks her favorite coworker–Liam–as she shuffles into the wolf keeper’s office. One of the wolves gave birth a few days ago, and the runt’s weight had clocked in well under the healthy range. Faith’s been itching for updates on her vitals all day.

“She’s mostly slept while I’ve been here, so everything is as it should be.” He grins all knowingly at her.

“What?” Faith snaps.

“You’re just more concerned than mama, that’s all. It’s kinda cute.”

“Go fuck yourself,” is her charming response.

He laughs and starts gathering his things. “I just did the rounds, so the log is up to date. And I brewed some coffee for you,” he says, pointing at their tiny, six-cup machine.

“Wicked,” she says, “thanks man.” He lingers in the doorway while she pours herself a full mug and logs onto the computer. “Was there something else ya wanted? Gonna serenade me with your rendition of ‘The Lion Sleeps Tonight’?” she teases. “Cause I’ve heard you do karaoke at the Christmas parties, and I think that’d piss off a whole lotta animals.”

“Har, har,” Liam sneers. “No, I was just…did you hear they finally replaced Jenny?”

“Cheetah girl, right?”

Liam nods.

“How’s the new meat lookin’?”

“I’ll let you decide for yourself,” he says suggestively. “Once you do get an eyeful of her, though, I want your assessment.”

“What, you thinkin’ of asking her out?”

“Maybe…and I’d rather avoid what happened with that girl from the San Diego Zoo.”

“Tara? Oh, man, but that was some solid rejection. I, for one, would _love_ to witness a sequel.”

Liam glares, nostrils flared. “Whatever. I want your professional opinion before I take the dive, is all.”

As he turns to leave, Faith shouts after him. “I’m not professionally bisexual, you jag! And I’m not duty-bound to share my gaydar readings with you!”

Liam simply chuckles, shaking his head at the office door swings closed behind him. “But you will.”

“Fucker,” Faith says under her breath.

He’s probably right.

###

Faith’s just settling back into the computer chair after checking on the pups, when there’s a knock on the office door.

“Yo,” she says. “Whaddya want?”

“Um, hi,” an unfamiliar voice responds. Faith turns to find a petite blonde in the doorway, and the word _sun-kissed_ springs to mind. “Rupert was supposed to train me on the computer system, but he’s not here tonight. I’m kinda lost here.”

“You must be the newbie,” Faith says, letting her eyes slide from the girl’s brunette roots to her worn pink sneakers. “Cheetahs, right?”

“Yeah. This is only my second shift. I wasn’t supposed to be working alone yet, but there was some family emergency and I–”

The chick is obviously flustered, so Faith stands and extends her hand. “It’s cool; I gotcha covered. The name’s Faith, by the way.”

She lets out a sigh of relief and takes Faith’s hand. “Buffy.”

“You’re shittin’ me.”

“What?”

“Your name’s _Buffy_?”

Buffy bristles. “Like your name’s any better, Miss Doctrine.”

Faith laughs. She likes this girl’s spunk. “Nah, it’s a rockin’ name. Memorable if nothin’ else. It’s just…could you be any more Valley Girl?”

“Could _you_ be any more devil-may-care?”

Bobbing her head with approval, Faith smirks and gestures toward the desktop. “Said you needed help on the computer system?”

Still eyeing Faith warily, Buffy sits down and scoots the chair in. “Yes please,” she says, her voice clipped and prim.

Faith stands behind the chair and then leans in, grabbing the edge of the desk with one hand and the mouse with her other, effectively boxing Buffy in. She smells like lemongrass and pine and her breath catches nervously in her throat when Faith turns to look her in the eye.

“What’s your login?”

Buffy feeds it to her, stammering a little, and Faith crowds in even closer to type the username and password into the computer. The desktop’s fan starts whirring loudly as it tries to process the simple input.

“Okay, so, first thing you gotta know is the system is slow as shit,” she says, impatient.

Buffy laughs once and Faith turns ever-so-slightly to smile at her. When Buffy smiles back, revealing vibrantly-white and adorably-imperfect teeth, Faith feels an uncharacteristic blush rise in her cheeks.

Well fuck.

###

When Faith discloses to Liam that her readings on Buffy’s sexual leanings were muddled at best, they make a competition of sorts out of flirting with her.

Normally, Faith would feel at least a little shitty about participating in a macho pissing contest, but her conscience is kinda distracted, too high on the fact that she’s winning to care.

Every time Liam’s attempted to hold a door open or carry a sack of feed for Buffy, she berates him for assuming she’s weak and then saunters away, leaving an incredulous Liam in her wake.

And, Faith’s gotta admit, she’s finding it _**hilarious**_.

“Shut up!” he says when Faith cackles after he finishes telling her a story of failure, wherein he bought Buffy a Popsicle only to have her snub him with a succinct “I prefer ice cream.”

“I’ll stop laughing when it stops being funny,” she says.

“Just because I haven’t gotten anywhere yet doesn’t mean she doesn’t like guys.”

“You’re right. It probably just means she doesn’t like you.”

He growls. “Like you’ve had any more luck.”

“Hey, she doesn’t start runnin’ the other way when she sees me coming. I’m having ten times more luck than you.” She glances down at her watch. Buffy’ll be going on her break any minute. “In fact, I’m gonna go get some face time with our Cheetah Girl right now.”

“Report back.”

“Like I’d ever miss a chance to rub something in your face,” she sing-songs as she skips out of the office, unable to help her cheery attitude. Faith feels positively stupid with joy.

As expected, Buffy’s in the employee break room, drinking a juice box and flipping through a fashion magazine.

“Hey, B,” Faith says, getting her attention.

Buffy smiles warmly and pats the bench next to her. “Hey, I didn’t think you were working till later today.”

“Had a special engagement to see to.”

“Ah, well, your loss of free time is my gain.”

Oh, yeah, she’s definitely winning.

“So how did your first bath time go?” Faith asks, pinching a strand of Buffy’s wet hair between her fingers.

Buffy covers her face with her hands. “As you can probably tell, I got wetter than the animals.”

“No big; happens sometimes. Besides, you look cute, even soaking wet.”

(Faith wants to change that to an ‘ _especially_ soaking wet’ as her gaze trails down to Buffy’s sopping polo, but she is capable of impulse control ((sometimes)) and she’s trying real hard not to come on too strong.)

Buffy’s responding smile knocks the air out of Faith’s lungs, and, god, maybe she should just go for it.

(The thought makes her palms slick and her stomach churn.)

“Hey, we should get dinner,” Faith blurts.

“You mean, like, outside of work?”

“I mean, if you’d be into it. It’s cool if you don’t wanna, I just–”

“That sounds like fun.”

“Yeah?”

“Of course. Do you like to dance?”

“I’ve been known to get down on occasion,” Faith says, smirking.

Buffy cocks an eyebrow. “I’ll bet. Anyway, there’s this club that everyone’s been raving about, and it’s not too far from my apartment. It’s called The Bronze, I think. We should eat and then check it out together. Make a night of it.”

Faith feels a surge of adrenaline–she’s practically floating for fuck’s sake–but she has to be sure they’re on the same page. She’s gotta say the word.

“It’s a date,” she says, swallowing over the thickness in her throat.

“A date,” Buffy agrees and then grins down at her magazine, her cheeks tuning pink.

Fucking score.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **Disclaimer:** I do not own these characters or this world, I simply enjoy playing with them.  
>  **Author’s Note:** Over on tumblr, the lovely [drusillathekiller](http://drusillathekiller.tumblr.com/) prompted me to write an obscure AU minific for Fuffy. Well, the 'mini' part went out the window pretty quickly, and this is the result. 
> 
> This story is unbeta'd, so please excuse any spelling errors.

“You said the words ‘Buffy, let’s go on a date’,” Liam clarifies.

“Yes,” Faith says, exasperated. “For like the billionth time, yes.”

Liam’s sitting on the futon in her studio apartment—the one that kinda sags to the left and always smells faintly of marijuana—as Faith gets ready for her evening with the girl in question.

“You said the words in that order?” he asks, and—christ—if he pushes any harder, she’s gonna lob a nail file at his face.

“Not exactly, but what does it fucking matter?”

“What does it matter? There’s a delicate line between girls asking each other out on dates and girls asking each other on platonic friend outings. If you don’t explicitly agree on the romantic subtext of the evening, you could make a fool of yourself.”

“Okay, maybe I’ve been completely wrong about the definition of subtext this whole time, but isn’t the point that you can’t explicitly agree on it? It’s unspoken, dude.”

“Whatever. You’re ignoring my point.”

“Nah, I was gettin’ there, don’t worry. Since when are you well-versed in the delicacies of girl-on-girl lovin’?”

“I watch _The L Word_ ,” Liam says, defensive.

“Believe me, livin’ it’s different,” Faith snorts and walks out from behind her closet door in a red tank top, leather miniskirt, and fishnets.

Liam whistles. “Well, I’m _definitely_ picking up on the subtext of that outfit.”

She smirks and pulls on her favorite pair of combat boots. “What can I say, I like to feel comfortable.”

“Okay, but back to the whole date issue,” Liam says as Faith applies blood-red lipstick in the mirror. “What, exactly, did you say to her when you asked her out?”

Faith rolls her eyes, but his insistence on the subject is starting to poke holes in her confidence. “I asked if she wanted to go for dinner.”

“Uh-huh.”

“Then she said that sounded like fun.”

“I’m not hearing anything that screams romantic overture.”

“ _And then_ I said ‘it’s a date,’ and she agreed. So it’s a date.”

“I dunno, there’s definitely room for a casual interpretation. People say ‘it’s a date’ when they casually get coffee together or go shopping for linens…shit like that.”

“Huh,” Faith feels her brow furrow.

“I told you,” Liam gloats. “I told you it might not be a date.”

She shakes her head and then puts the finishing touches on her makeup. “Look, doesn’t matter if we go into the night with different expectations, alright? I’ll know by the end whether she digs me or not, so I’ll just hafta play it PG-13 instead of R-rated until I’m sure.”

“Fine, fine,” Liam says airily, goading her. After a moment, he adds under his breath, “I’m still holding out hope that she’s straight.”

“I heard that, moron. Real nice, actively root against me. I only let crash at my place on the regular and play wingman for you—really fucking well, I might add—and hang out with your dorky ass, you self-serving bastard.”

“I love you,” he says playfully as she shrugs into a leather jacket. “And I hope Buffy at least gives you a chance to persuade her into some women-loving tendencies if she's not already about that lifestyle.”

“Thank you,” Faith says, sticking her tongue out at him. “You spending the night here?”

“Unless you need me to get gone; I was going to play some Fallout.”

“I’ll text ya,” Faith says, winking and shooting a finger gun in his direction. Then she lets the door crash shut behind her as she bounds toward her bike, on her way to pick up Buffy.

###

“Sure you’re okay, B? You’re lookin’ a little winded,” Faith asks as they slide into their booth at the Olive Garden.

“Oh, I’m fine,” Buffy says, but her eyes are way wide, and her nose scrunches a little when she speaks. Faith cocks an eyebrow at her, and Buffy smiles—all abashed and adorable—before turning her gaze down to the menu. “I’ve just never been on a motorcycle before.”

“Aww, man, did I make you uncomfortable? You shoulda said something.”

“No, no, trying new things is good. I’m an adventurous person.”

“Tryin’ to convince me or yourself?” Faith asks, sticking her tongue between her teeth.

Before Buffy can answer, their server comes by the table.

“My name is Melanie, and I’ll be taking care of you tonight. What can I get you ladies to drink?”

Buffy orders raspberry lemonade and Faith gets herself a coke.

“So?” she pushes, not letting Buffy off the hook.

“Little bit of both, I guess,” she says, tucking her bangs behind her ear.

“Well then consider me impressed by your ovaries of steel.”

Buffy giggles, her face turning a shade of pink that perfectly complements the trench coat she’s got on. "I _think_ that was a compliment."

"Oh definitely."

"Well, then…thanks."

There's a lag in conversation as they look over the menu, and Faith tries to find the cheapest meal she can. It's not like she's gettin' rich on a zookeeper's salary, after all.

After Melanie comes by with some breadsticks and collects their order, Buffy nervously pushes the ice cubes around her drink with her straw.

"So," Faith says, determined not to let the evening get boring. "What does Buffy Summers do when she's not looking after the beasts of the animal kingdom?"

"Study, mostly." When Faith gives her a quizzical look, she elaborates. "I'm in my last year of undergrad. I want to be a veterinarian, and working with animals kinda looks good on a resume for that sorta thing. Hence the zookeepiness. What do you do?"

"Drink, cuss, and party," Faith says.

"Sounds fun." Buffy raises her eyebrows. "But, I mean, you gotta have hobbies, right? What does the mysterious Faith Lehane do in her spare time?"

"Mysterious, huh?"

"You give off a certain vibe," Buffy says cheekily, cocking her head to the side.

"Sounds like you've put some thought into my personal life. Any theories?"

Buffy hums. "I've considered international spy."

"Of course."

"Or you run a crime fighting syndicate by the cover of nightfall."

“Never considered that I’m the criminal?"

Buffy narrows her eyes, studying Faith. "Nah, you’re too flashy. You’d never fly low enough under the radar.”

“Okay, you gotta point there. Any other ideas?” Faith grins.

“Well, my latest theory is that you invented a smartphone app and are now a billionaire with a second home in Paris.”

"Glamourous," Faith says.

"Okay, I played. Now c'mon, what it's really like to be you?"

"I'm way fucking cooler in your imagination, so now I kinda don't want to tell you."

"Pleeeeease," Buffy begs, clasping her hands together under her chin and everything.

Maybe it's her pleading eyes, round and soft as they are, that do Faith in, or maybe she’s just swept up in how _easy_ being with Buffy is, but—whatever the reason—Faith hears herself telling the truth.

"I dropped outta high school, never finished my third year. And I come from a family of deadbeats—can drive through four counties in any direction and visit a relative in jail in every single one. So, after a stint in juvie for theft and assault, I had to decide whether I wanted to add to the pitiful Lehane legacy or shape up. Turns out I’m pretty good with animals, so I got my GED, applied to some pet stores and zoos and shit, and then finally got hired at the Sunnydale Menagerie. In my spare time I mostly play video games and worry about becoming my parents."

"Wow."

"Yeah. Look, if you don't wanna hang anymore, I'd understand. Loser is contagious, right?"

"Faith," Buffy lets the name roll off her tongue so gently, it's like a fucking prayer or something. "That sounds like it sucks. But you don't suck."

Faith guffaws. "I _think_ that was a compliment."

Buffy smirks, her eyes shining mischievously. "Definitely."

The girls get so caught up smiling at each other, they both jump when their server brings their dinner to the table.

###

By the time they move their date to The Bronze, Faith has one goal and one goal only: find out Buffy's stance on girl-on-girl action.

Some local band's playing—a set of covers—and they’ve got some wicked energy. Faith can't help but get caught up in the beat, and her head starts bobbing the second they get in line for entry.

The inside of the club is beat to crap, but there's a chill vibe to the place that makes the wear and tear less obvious. Well, that, and the stellar lightshow they've got going.

Buffy leads them into the dense crowd of people, her fingers loosely gripping Faith's.

As they venture further, Faith notices the bar along the back wall, a cozy couch area, a balcony that looks like its seen some shady shit, tables scattered along the edge of the dancefloor, and a couple of pool tables tucked away in the corner.

"Should we get something to drink, or…?" Buffy trails off, her voice getting carried away with the booming bass.

"Screw that," Faith yells back. "Let's dance!"

Buffy amiably lets Faith drag her out onto dancefloor, but then looks a little overwhelmed when they come to a stop in the center.

Faith laughs at the bewildered look on her face, and Buffy pouts out her lower lip, giving Faith puppy dog eyes that would make a weaker human fall to their knees.

(As it is, Faith's employing all her willpower to not lean in and suck Buffy’s lip between her own.)

Instead of following that impulse, Faith grips Buffy's hips in either hand—the thin, silken material of her halter top is hot, and Faith itches to slip her fingers past the hemline to feel Buffy's feverish skin—and pulls her a little closer. Here, she can see the laugh lines in the skin of Buffy's forehead and the sheen of her freshly applied lip gloss, can feel Buffy's warm breath wash over her face. Their gazes meet, and Faith lets her body turn to molten lava: charged and fluid and alive. Her hips swing back and forth, forcing Buffy along for the ride until she unclenches and starts moving on her own.

As one song bleeds into another, the girls develop a kind of give and take, their bodies feelin' each other out.

When Faith spins around, Buffy runs her hands from the tops of Faith's shoulders to slip her fingers into the spaces between Faith's. When Faith backs herself up so that their bodies are flush against each other, Buffy moves their conjoined hands to Faith's hips and tugs her even closer. When Buffy spins out, Faith guides her as she twirls back in, tucking Buffy close into her side and reveling in the blonde's delighted laughter.

"Getting tired?" Faith asks over the din of the club after they’ve danced to several songs.

"Could use a break," Buffy yells back. But then the music changes from the energy-charged alternative rock to a swelling ballad.

Both of them freeze in place.

Faith holds out her hands in question, and Buffy only hesitates for a moment before stepping forward and hooking her arms around Faith’s neck. In turn, Faith hugs Buffy around the waist, her fingertips teasing the elastic band of the skirt Buffy's wearing.

“This is…,” Buffy pauses, looking for the right word. “Weird. Wonderful.”

Faith smiles and shrugs a shoulder. “Oh yeah? Well you ain’t seen nothing yet, Summers.”

Buffy bites her lip and gives Faith a look of unrestrained and terrified excitement that sends shockwaves down her back so intense, her skin pimples.

Apparently overwhelmed by the force of the moment, Buffy ducks her head, tucking it in the hollow of Faith’s neck.

They sway like that till the song is nearly over, and it’s only because they’re pressed so close that Faith can feel when Buffy’s heartrate picks up speed.

She lifts her head enough to whisper in Faith’s ear, “Faith I…”

But Faith doesn’t get to hear the ending. Her phone buzzes where she's tucked it in her bra, and both girls feel the vibration.

It’s the zoo.

Faith shows Buffy the caller ID and then motions outside.

“Yo, this better be important cause I’m in the middle of—”

“Faith?” Faith’s usually soft-spoken manager, Osbourne, cuts her off urgently. “Hey, the wolves got in a scuffle, and one of the babies has been badly injured. Won’t let me or anyone else approach it. I know you’re off, but is there any way you could come? There’s some overtime in it for ya.”

Faith glances worriedly at Buffy, who followed her outside. Buffy smiles kindly, and Faith wants to kick herself in her own ass for even considering ending their date early, but….

“Yeah, fine. Be there in 20,” she says curtly.

“You’re a life saver. You know. Literally.”

Faith jabs the ‘end call’ button on her phone and then turns, apologetic, to Buffy. “So, looks like there’s a wolf emergency. I’m gonna have to motor.”

“Wait, you’re leaving?” The disappointment in Buffy's voice makes Faith’s heart pound in her chest.

“Duty calls. They got an injury on their hands, and the babies are pretty finicky. It’s a whole to-do.”

“Could I come with?”

“You want to watch me bandage up a wolf pup?” Faith checks.

“I mean, it’s not my first choice of entertainment, but…,” she flushes, “I don’t want this night to end just yet.”

Faith can't contain her goofy grin.

“C’mon then.”

###

“You're wearing _that_ in _there_?” Osbourne asks when Faith and Buffy arrive at the wolf exhibit.

“You called me in on short notice; didn't exactly have time to go home and get a change of clothes,” Faith says, shrugging out of her jacket and tossing onto the desk chair. “Is the exam room prepped?”

“Yeah. You want backup in there?”

“Got all the backup I need,” Faith says, jabbing her thumb in Buffy's direction. “You've met Summers, right?”

“Cheetah exhibit,” Oz nods. “Thanks for coming on such short notice.”

“I was in the neighborhood,” Buffy says, smirking at Faith.

Osbourne salutes them and then jogs off in the direction of the health and wellness center, which is a tiny hut located behind the rainforest exhibit.

“You ready?” Faith asks Buffy.

“Kinda nervous,” she admits. “I’m more of a cat person.”

Faith waggles her eyebrows and Buffy grins back sheepishly.

“Follow my lead. I’m sure you’ll be fine.”

They enter the caged off area through a special door in the wolf keeper’s office after Faith grabs something from the refrigerator. Buffy remains several paces behind and steps onto a nearby boulder when Faith comes to a stop. “See that shelter up on that bluff there?” she asks, pointing.

“Uh-huh.”

“Looks like there’s a pup just to the left of it. I’m gonna call the other wolves over here, and I need you to keep ‘em interested while I play retriever.”

“Okay.”

Faith sticks two fingers in her mouth and starts whistling loudly. A few adults come running almost immediately, and Buffy gasps when one jumps right up onto Faith, their two front paws digging into her bare chest.

“Down, Balto,” Faith commands, and the wolf drops back down to the ground.

“Balto?” Buffy asks, stifling a snort.

“I didn’t name him,” Faith explains and then tosses Buffy the zip-lock bag she’d gotten from the refrigerator. “You’re up, distract-o-girl.”

Faith hears Buffy groan after opening the sack of food and laughs.

“Lookie what I got,” Buffy talks to the wolves as Faith deftly jogs up the side of the hill. “Yummy, yummy meat chunks.”

“Ow, ow! Flaunt it,” Faith teases.

When she gets to the top of the bluff, she becomes serious, crouching low and holding her hand out for the pup to smell. It whimpers as she approaches but doesn’t make any move to run away. Now that she’s closer, Faith can make out a deep gash in her side and it looks like one of the others got a solid chomp outta the right hind leg.

“I gotcha,” Faith coos in a low voice. “You’re safe. Auntie Faith is gonna take care of you.”

She slowly, carefully gathers the baby into her arms and then starts waddling back toward the office.

“You got her?” Buffy asks.

“Yup. Go on and throw some yummy, yummy meat chunks up into the woods.”

Buffy lobs a few of the treats into the depths of the exhibit, and the wolves go nuts, darting after them and allowing Buffy, Faith, and the pup to leave unnoticed.

Once they drop the baby off with Osbourne in medical—staying long enough to make sure they aren't needed anymore—Buffy and Faith take their time meandering back to the zoo parking lot.

“Thanks for your help,” Faith says, rubbing a tentative finger along the curve of Buffy’s wrist. “Couldn’t’ve saved the day without ya.”

“You were very impressive yourself, what with the wolf-wrangling and everything,” she says, catching Faith’s finger and tangling it with her own. “This night’s been pretty wild.”

“You ready to pack it in, B?”

“Hardly! But I would like some more…tame fun. If that’s even possible with you around.”

Faith flips her hair over her shoulder. “I will take that as a compliment.”

“As you should.”

“I have a place we can crash, if you’re looking for some chill time.”

“Sounds nice.”

They walk the rest of the way in silence, and Faith discreetly texts Liam to scram.

“So I have to ask you something,” she says once they reach her bike.

“Okay,” Buffy gives Faith a small smile, and her heart leaps into her throat. “Shoot.”

“What was tonight for you?”

Buffy raises an eyebrow. “What do you mean?”

Faith fiddles with her rings. “I just mean…this was...I wanna know if. Oh, fuck it.”

She grabs Buffy’s face in both her hands and kisses her square on the lips. Buffy makes a surprised gaspy noise in the back of her throat, but kisses back right way, seizing fistfuls of Faith’s tank top and pulling her close.

They’re both breathless when they pull apart, and Faith smooths her hands down either side of Buffy’s neck to grip her shoulders, keeping her closely rooted in place.

“Did I answer your question?” Buffy asks, panting.

“Oh, yeah. Got the message loud and clear.”

“Good. Can I tell you something else?”

“I’d love to hear whatever you gotta say.”

Buffy closes the short distance between them and captures Faith’s lips in another kiss.


End file.
